Boulder DA's Office mulls courthouse comfort dog

May 6, 2013

Written by

Associated Press

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — The Boulder District Attorney’s Office could become the first judicial district in Colorado to get a courthouse dog to help comfort victims and witnesses during trial.

District Attorney Stan Garnett tells The Daily Camera (http://bit.ly/13WrJCq ) he first heard the idea at a National District Attorney’s Association meeting. A nonprofit organization based in Washington state called the Courthouse Dogs Foundation works with courthouses to place highly trained dogs in courtrooms to help witnesses and victims — particularly younger ones — during trials.

Garnett has formed a committee to explore the idea of applying for a dog, which would be cared for at night by selected staff members.

The Courthouse Dogs Foundation has placed 41 dogs with courthouses and law enforcement agencies in 19 states, including two with the Aurora Police Department.